Join us to create a mindful permaculture food forest in Waldbröl, Germany

Infos

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  Description

  LAST MINUTE 🌿✨Are you passionate about transforming our food system? Do you enjoy working outdoors and care deeply about soil health and the quality of the food we eat? Do you have experience with permaculture and some knowledge of regenerative agriculture? If so, we’d love your help in our food forest!
  Right now, there’s plenty to do: clearing wild brambles, preparing the land for autumn tree planting, lots of weeding, and more. We’re looking for someone who’s dedicated, someone who truly cares about the soil and wants to be part of positive change. Working with the land is not only vital for the planet – it’s also deeply fulfilling and great for your well-being.
  
  Come get your hands in the soil and grow something meaningful with us!💚
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  Discover our new permaculture food forest project, nestled in the heart of the German countryside near Bonn/Köln. Surrounded by majestic 300-year-old trees, this tranquil space is brimming with spiritual energy. Through this project, we aim to inspire the next generation to embrace self-sufficiency and contribute to a sustainable future.
  
  We are Sven (German), Ellen (Belgian), and our two wonderful daughters, aged 9 and 17. After living abroad for nearly two decades—spending over three years each in Bolivia, Peru, Kenya, and Senegal—we’ve finally settled in Germany and found our “dream house.” After a deep and ecological renovation of this traditional "Fachwerkhaus", we moved in, in August 2020 (very recently). I am a social worker and cultural anthropologist, and my husband is a political scientist. Both of us hold PhDs and are deeply passionate about our environment, as well as animals. Currently, our family includes one dog, four cats, one rooster, nine chickens, eleven walking ducks, and two goats—all of whom play an important role in our thriving ecological garden.
  
  Our home is nestled in a stunning, forested landscape in Oberberg, an area known for its natural beauty. The property spans 4 hectares, which is quite large for this region, and is primarily covered by ancient oak and beech trees, many of which are 200–300 years old. We also have a fenced area for our goats and ample space for gardening. We practice permaculture and are passionate about expanding the natural forest around us. In the garden and along the forest edges, we’re designing a small food forest to enhance biodiversity and sustainability. Our land also features four charming ponds, which, with some care, we plan to restore as habitats for trout and swimming spots for us to enjoy in the warmer months.
  
  As we continue to nurture this space, our goal is to create a vibrant environment where sustainability, community, and nature flourish together. We invite people from all over the world to join us on this journey and contribute to our mission of creating a better, more regenerative world.
  
  In summary, we are a warm, welcoming family with a deep love for nature, and we thrive when surrounded by like-minded people who share our passion for permaculture and food forests. We’re looking for enthusiastic, open-hearted individuals who embrace creativity, spirituality, and an easy-going, colorful way of life—people who see the beauty in everyday moments and, most of all, in the joyful smiles of children. If you have skills in handicrafts, wilderness survival, outdoor activities, yoga, meditation, or if you're a craftsman with a love for nature, you’re more than welcome to join us!
  
  Feeling inspired? We’d love to welcome you into our world! Come visit us soon and be part of our journey!
  
  Main topics: organic, permaculture, food forest, regenerative agriculture, mindfulness, yoga, meditation, wilderness pedagogy, forest bathing, animal care, and family life.

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Projets artistiques

  Pratique d’une langue

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Enseignement

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  S’occuper des animaux

  Aide dans une ferme

  Baby-sitting et jeux créatifs

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Entretien général

  Aide informatique/internet

  Home sitting
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  Centres d’intérêt

  

  Politique/justice sociale

  

  Culture

  

  Animaux de compagnie

  

  Dev. durable

  

  Végétarien ou végan

  

  Dev. personnel

  

  Bénévolat

  

  Ferme

  

  Soin des plantes

  

  Musique

  

  Livres

  

  Cuisine et alimentation

  

  Jardinage

  

  Langues

  

  Photographie

  

  Écriture

  

  Animaux

  

  Plage

  

  Montagne

  

  Voile / bateau

  

  Cyclisme

  

  Randonnée

  

  Activités en plein air

  

  Camping

  

  Nature

  

  Yoga / bien-être

  

  Sports d’hiver
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  Objectifs de développement durable de l’ONU que cet hôte essaie d'atteindre

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  Qu'est-ce que c'est ?
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  At our place, you’re invited to try new things, explore your personal interests, and learn how to live in a more sustainable and self-sufficient way. Having lived in diverse cultural settings for over 20 years, we’re excited to share our experiences with you. You’ll gain insights into what’s culturally appropriate and expected in different environments, which could be valuable when traveling or living abroad in the future.
  
  On our small farm, there’s so much to learn—whether it’s growing your own food, preserving the harvest, or understanding the many aspects of sustainable living. What matters most is that you take the initiative to learn and get involved. We’re here to guide you, but the experience is yours to shape!

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  Projets impliquant des enfants

  Ce projet peut impliquer des enfants. Pour en savoir plus, consultez nos directives et conseils ici.

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  Aide

  When it comes to the help, we’re excited to learn about your unique skills and interests, and we'll do our best to align them with our project to make the most of your talents. What matters most to us is that you're motivated and ready to contribute! We're confident that there’s something within our project that will spark your curiosity and inspire you to get involved.
  
  Our garden is lovingly managed using the principles of permaculture. While we embrace the wild growth of a variety of plants and herbs, we keep certain areas in check, especially where nettles, wild brambles, and maple seedlings tend to take over. Since we don’t use herbicides, we carefully remove these by hand (with gloves) to maintain balance.
  In the autumn and winter, the focus shifts primarily to forest tasks, including collecting and chopping firewood, planting trees, and preparing the garden for the coming spring. As the weather warms up in spring, we begin preparing the vegetable garden—sowing, planting, and weeding according to permaculture principles—while also doing development of the food forest. During summer, we continue tending to the plants and trees through irrigation, weeding, and planting, and we begin harvesting and organizing food preservation (making jams, chutneys, fermenting, drying, etc.).
  
  We’re looking for volunteers who are independent, eager to get their hands dirty, and comfortable doing tasks outdoors with tools. If you're ready to dive into meaningful, hands-on work, we’d be thrilled to have you join us! The daily tasks for volunteers include gardening, feeding the animals, walking our dog, and occasionally spending time with our youngest child. There’s always plenty to do in both the forest and the garden—tasks like chopping and collecting firewood, weeding, clearing brambles, planting, and more. If you have experience with permaculture or food forests, we would be thrilled to have you share your ideas and expertise with us!
  
  Please note that this help requires good physical condition, as it can be quite demanding. Our typical day starts at 9:30 am in the winter (8:00 am in the summer) and usually wraps up around 2-3 pm, with a lunch break. There’s also some time in the early evening to take care of the dog and feed the animals. If you're up for a fulfilling and active day, we would love to have you on board!
  
  In addition to our work in the garden and forest, we love creating space for children to explore, play, and learn outdoors. That’s why we organize non-profit activities that introduce kids to fun and hands-on permaculture experiences.
  These moments are not only joyful and educational, but also offer local children the chance to connect with nature and with people from different cultures. It's a beautiful way to spend time outside, discover new perspectives, and grow together – naturally!
  
  Currently, we also rent a Tiny House out to weekend and short-term visitors, offering them a chance to experience the beauty of this peaceful place. When we have guests staying with us, we kindly ask our workawayers to be mindful and respectful of their need for quiet and relaxation. It’s important that we maintain a harmonious environment for everyone to enjoy.
  
  If you're excited to learn more about us and our project, we’d love to hear your personal story and why you’re interested in staying with us. We value genuine connections, so please share your background and what inspires you to join our family. We typically do not consider standardized emails (those sent to multiple hosts) and prefer messages that reflect your unique motivation.
  
  Please note, we’re currently NOT looking for long-term workawayers or individuals who wish to live with us for a year or longer. We’re focused on short-term collaborations that allow for meaningful exchanges and experiences.

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  Langues

  Langues parlées
  Allemand: Courant
  Anglais: Courant
  Espagnol: Courant
  Français: Courant
  Hollandais: Courant

  Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
  Cet hôte a indiqué qu’il souhaitait faire partager sa propre langue ou en apprendre une nouvelle.
  Contactez-le pour en savoir plus.
  
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  Hébergement

  FOOD: We prepare home-made, organic, vegan/vegetarian, as eating healthy is a core value for us. We share meals together and take turns cooking, cleaning, and setting the table. Please note, we prefer to host vegetarians to avoid ongoing debates around meat, protein, or nutrition.
  
  HEATING AND ELECTRICITY: Our home is heated by a central system powered by wood from our own forest, along with several stoves used during the winter months. You’ll always be warm, but we do ask visitors to follow a few simple guidelines: keep the heating on low at night and when you're out of the house. We also encourage mindful use of electricity and water to help conserve energy and reduce our environmental footprint.
  
  NUMBER OF WORKAWAYERS: If there are multiple workawayers, the accommodation may be shared. We ask for flexibility, especially during the summer months, when space may be more limited.
  
  SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS:
  A. The Brand-New Apartment with Central Heating
  - One large room with a double bed and a bunk bed
  - One smaller room with a bunk bed
  - A private bathroom, though shared if there is another workawayer
  B. Bring your own tent/caravan (during summer, weather permitting)
  
  INTERNET ACCESS: Wi-Fi is turned off at night to minimize EMF exposure, but internet access is still available via cable broadband, which can be used with a laptop.
  
  HABITS & LIFESTYLE:
  - We welcome only non-smokers into our home. If you don’t already follow an ecologically conscious lifestyle and are not vegetarian, you may find it challenging to adapt to our way of living.
  - We also ask that guests limit their use of mobile phones and avoid television or computer games during their stay.
  - We value a peaceful and grounded atmosphere. Moderate alcohol use is acceptable, but drug use is not permitted.
  - Our home is a space for positive energy, healthy routines, and mindful living – and we truly appreciate those who share these values and contribute to this environment.
  
  RULES:
  - We ask all volunteers to respect the house rules and take part in proper recycling.
  - Please take care of all tools and materials, and make sure to return tools to their place once the tasks are done.
  - Meals are served at specific times (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). If you arrive outside of those hours, the kitchen will be closed.
  - Volunteers are expected to cook dinner twice per week (outside of helping hours) and always help with the dishes, keep the sink empty, and leave the kitchen clean. The kitchen is a shared space, and everyone is expected to keep it tidy — even on your days off.
  - For safety and maintenance reasons, swings, trampoline, and zip-line are not for adult use and are off-limits to volunteers.

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  Autres infos...

  We’re located about 55 km from both Bonn and Köln. To get here, you can travel from either city to Siegburg or Hennef, and then take a local bus to Waldbröl.
  
  Places to visit:
  Our home is surrounded by stunning natural landscapes, with scenic walking trails and several historical landmarks. You can explore Homburg Castle, visit the Stalactite Cave in Wiehl, or enjoy the charming Open-Air Museum in Lindlar. For those who love the outdoors, there are open-air swimming pools, lakes, and the beautiful Panarbora Nature Reserve nearby.
  
  This is not a destination for party-goers or those who crave daily city life, but nature lovers will find inspiration and peace in abundance here.

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Possibilité d’accueillir les digital nomads

  Wi-Fi is turned off at night to minimize EMF exposure, but internet access is still available via cable broadband, which can be used with a laptop.

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  Cet hôte a de la place pour les vans.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Deux

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  Mes animaux

  IBO

Sécurité du site

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